The Zamindar’s Ghost-Khayaal Patel

Book: The Zamindar’s Ghost
Author: Khayaal Patel
Publisher: HarperCollins India

I was provided a Media Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What would you do if the ghost of your past comes back to haunt you?

Presumed dead in a bloody coup to quell Indian revolutionaries, Arjun Rana returns to the sleepy town of Ooty after six years, throwing the townsfolk, and his household, in disarray. Troubled by the suicide of his father, Zamindar Digvijay Rana, Arjun tries his best to live up to the town's expectations as he takes up the mantle of zamindar. Little does he know that his detractors are many, and formidable. Within days of his arrival a spate of unexplained deaths occur. The town doctor does not have a clear assessment, the local head constable thinks they are the work of a spy sent by the revolutionaries to bring down the British East India Company, but the townsfolk speak in hushed whispers: The ghost of Zamindar Digvijay Rana is responsible for the deaths. As events hurl towards a chilling climax, the residents of the quaint little town will discover that each of them is right in their assumptions and each of them is wrong.

Khayaal tells us an interesting story in the book that blends together relationships, horror and crime in a beautiful manner. The story has been set up in the hills, pre-independence which adds another layer of plot where the small town acts as a character in the story as well. As we meet the Ghost on the very first page, the book hits the ground running. What I loved about the book was that the book never has a dull moment. Each moment in the book is carefully written and fits into the plot perfectly. While the book looks like a run-of-the-mill horror story, there are undercurrents and sub plots that add volume to this book. The storytelling is gripping, and keeps you turning the pages as you try to figure out what the intentions of the characters are and what is happening in thus idyllic town. The descriptions of people and places are detailed and one you reach the climax, there are moments you would revisit and realise that the smallest of details in the plot have immense importance in hindsight. What stands out about the book specifically is the attention to detail and timelines. The climax is something that will blow your mind away, with a reveal so powerful that it can be a textbook example of how to unravel a thriller or a horror story. There are very few books that can achieve the shock and awe as they do the reveal but Khayaal achieves it perfectly so much so that for a moment I was just staring at the page, making sense of what had just happened.

Coming to the characters, Khayaal’s book has a very Christie-feel to them and reading this horror-whudunnit was made enjoyable by the detailing he has provided to them. Right from the Zamindar and his ghost to Arjun, each of the characters has a distinct personality that brings out an interesting flavor in the story. I was quite impressed with Sharvani’s character and how she becomes a key person driving the narrative till the last page.

This book is definitely recommended for anyone who loves a well-crafted horror-thriller. The book is definitely one of the best books I have read so far, and just for the climax I would give it an extra star. The book scores a 4.94/5 for me.

Get a copy of the book on Amazon India or your nearest bookstore.